Contraceptive social marketing
Black, T.
Africa Health 18(3): 22-23
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0141-9536 PMID: 12347035 Document Number: 276281
Worldwide, with the exception of most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, contraceptive use is rising rapidly. Unmet need is, however, widespread, with demographic, health, and other surveys in more than 45 countries indicating that 20-30% of couples want to contracept, but lack access to services. The UN median variant projection forecasts an ultimate global population of 12 billion toward the end of the 21st century. The average couple will have to reach replacement fertility by around 2035 in order for that total population size to not be exceeded. This will be possible only if the prevalence of contraceptive use in developing countries is raised by 0.5% annually for the next 20 years. Many governments, however, are unable, unwilling, or slow to expand family planning services. Together with the removal of government regulatory and financial constraints upon the family planning involvement of nongovernmental organizations and private doctors, the retail marketing of affordable contraceptives is proving to be the most efficient and cost-effective way forward. The author discusses contraceptive social marketing.